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Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Pirates hijack Nigerian ship, 16 crew-members in Cote d’ Ivoire

A Tank ship, belonging to Brila Energy, a Nigerian company, which
specializes in trading on petroleum products and other derivatives, carrying
5,000 tonnes of jet fuel has been seized in the Cote d‘ Ivoire port of Abidjan.
The vessel, with 16 Nigerian crew-members on board was seized as it was
preparing to deposit the fuel at the port, according to a statement from the
Ivory Coast’s government.
Port officials said the tanker’s last known position was off the coast of
neighbouring Ghana, but Ghanaian authorities said they had been unable to
locate the ITRI.
The ship initially had trouble docking because a sand storm reduced
visibility, an Ivorien government statement said. Later, the ship’s captain
radioed the port manager to report difficulty manoeuvring. Shortly afterwards,
contact was lost with the vessel. Then ship consignee Koda Maritime informed
port officials that armed men had taken control of the tanker.
Most hijackings in the region occur near oil-rich Nigeria, but analysts say
co-ordinated efforts by authorities and neighbouring countries have forced Nigerian
pirates to seek easier targets outside their home waters.